OK who else has no idea like me??

Hi all,

This is a slightly off tangent post, but please bear with me
Everyday as I cruise through this BB reading the myriad of questions and answers, one thing seems to jump out at me. Most of you guys have a pretty decent mechanical/technical knowledge of cars.
I keep getting the feeling that I really have no idea! I love my car, and I am definately a car enthusiast, but have very limited mechanical knowledge. I am not a young kid, (31, married, with a 5 month old boy). I am also not rich to throw money at my car on a whim. I have spent half my life in the military, and now am a commercial aquarium fish collector. I have never had the time to learn much about cars.

I have loved the Z3 from the time I first saw it, and it wasn't until recently that I managed to finally get my dream car (my 02 PY Roadster).
Am I the only guy on here who loves their car but doesn't have a clue about it's details?
I mean I read posts about subframe bushings, swaybars etc and have very little concept as to their specifics.
It seems that people range from being either the well to do type who buy their cars 'cause their "prestige" then prance around to show off, pay whatever to keep them going then flog them for the next new model. Then there are those who border on obsessive cumpulsive who sleep and breathe their cars. (Like some guys on here

)

I guess I am wondering where a guy like me fits in! Passionate but clueless, are there any others who fit this mold?

Sorry for the ramble.

Ps this is not a midlife crisis

Reply » OK who else has no idea like me??

Compared to the average person, I know a little bit about my car. Comapared to a lot of the people here, I don't know much at all.

The more time I spend here reading, searching the archives and researching, the more I learn. It's crazy how much information is here to be found.

Reply » OK who else has no idea like me??

Keep reading and comming back to the boards you will learn whether you like it or not

Reply » OK who else has no idea like me??

Quote:

It seems that people range from being either the well to do type who buy their cars 'cause their "prestige" then prance around to show off, pay whatever to keep them going then flog them for the next new model. Then there are those who border on obsessive cumpulsive who sleep and breathe their cars. (Like some guys on here

)

I guess I am wondering where a guy like me fits in! Passionate but clueless, are there any others who fit this mold?

Sorry for the ramble.

Ps this is not a midlife crisis

everybody started from zero at some stage, some got into cars because it was a family thing and others later.
Up to few years back I knew nothing about cars, then I got the notion of buying a Lancia delta and didnt have too much financial ressources so had to learn to do some stuff (they do brake down on a regular basis

). I actually enjoyed it and since then I just try to do as much as I can myself. I f***ed up a few times

but unless you try you're not gonna learn. Boards are great for that, there is write-up for almost everything so it just matter of doing a bit of research before tackling the job. Sure you have to know your own limitations and sometimes be humble enough to accept that what some of the guys are doing is just out of your scope (for the moment) but little by little you build knowledge and confidence.

It's not too late to get at it and it could also be good fun in few years when your kid grow up to share that with him, I think

Reply » OK who else has no idea like me??

Quote:

). I actually enjoyed it and since then I just try to do as much as I can myself. I f***ed up a few times

It's not to late to get at it and it could also be good fun in few years when your kid grow up to share that with him, I think

Well said.

Reply » OK who else has no idea like me??

Quote:

Well said.

yep.

and I went to college for a mechanical engineering degree because it interested me and I didn't really know much about how things actually worked (cars being one of them). I spent my 4 years in college learning the book stuff, and getting more interested in cars and got some of the basics. After I graduated college, I waited a little under a year and bought my car because it was very quick, good handling, and a sexy beast, but I really didn't know anything about the car. I have learned sooooooo much in the last three years its kinda crazy just being a sponge. Alot of it was research, but I also have done TONS of work on the cars, working on installs/setups/driving/racing etc. Its become an obsession of mine. I am very happy with all the knowledge I have gained in the last couple years, and while there are still plenty out there who know alot more than me. I have been able to implement my know on my own car, my friends' cars, and help give advice to others.

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